The erupting flames nearly swallowed the Destruction Legion whole.
The forces caught at the very heart of the blast were practically vaporized in an instant.
Even with Celenova doing her utmost to intervene, a full third of her army was evaporated by that single strike.
But the most troublesome part was this: as the flames expanded, an endless tide of destructive viruses tried to invade the remaining Voidrangers and warships.
A vast number of surviving Voidrangers and vessels were infected by the black tide, countless threads dangling down from the void.
Those endless Voidrangers, Doomsday Beasts, and massive warships, bathed in that destructive firelight, pulled back in unison, then turned their three-pronged assault toward Celenova's own legion.
And 'Hertatomb' seized that moment to close the distance.
With arms spread wide, like a cross of judgment descending upon the legion.
"Celenova, if you don't plan on showing yourself, then let this entire army be destroyed here today."
The words, transmitted through Imaginary Energy, carried a deranged madness for destruction beneath their icy calm.
Those observing this battlefield from afar shivered upon hearing that voice.
To nearly wipe out half a main force legion in a single blow—this was Celenova's fleet, after all.
The nature of the Voidrangers and Celenova's control ensured the army wouldn't collapse even under massive casualties.
Had it been any other legion, the scene would hardly be so orderly.
And as 'Hertatomb' displayed her power, her current emotional value was also skyrocketing.
It seemed that while few had come in person, there was no shortage of eyes watching from behind the scenes.
For her, in her current state, that earlier attack had actually been restrained.
Given Irontomb's capabilities, a single special attack—something similar to an EVA impact, delivered with full force—would have been enough to completely annihilate the entire legion Celenova had brought, and could even effortlessly wipe out an entire star system.
After removing the restrictions imposed by the other Herta, Irontomb's power was just that absurd.
And this was already a state far weaker than Irontomb's original strength.
One could only say, Zandar really knew how to build absolute monsters.
And the gap between Emanators was truly larger than the gap between an Emanator and a mortal.
But that wasn't the issue here.
One mustn't forget the reason she didn't simply dismantle the Emperor's Scepter outright.
It wasn't because she couldn't.
It was because of Screwllum.
An Irontomb going all out would find it very hard to conceal the traits belonging to Rubert III.
That was a risk she absolutely couldn't take.
So 'Hertatomb' had to settle for the next best thing, employing a slightly more roundabout tactic to slowly whittle away Celenova's legion.
In her discussions with Screwllum, this level of power was pretty much the limit.
Enough to suppress Celenova's legion, but not so exaggerated as to make the IPC feel overly threatened.
If she pushed it any further, taking down Celenova's legion in one strike, it would likely attract some unnecessary scrutiny.
Even so, for Celenova, this was her first crushing defeat in the centuries since her birth.
She had lost before, but never so miserably.
In just a single exchange, her legion had been carved up, and more crucially, a portion of it had become the enemy's puppets.
For Celenova, who specialized in using Harmony to absorb others and enhance her own power, this was the first time she experienced the displeasure of having her own forces stolen.
She couldn't continue relying on the legion to spearhead the fight.
Celenova had realized this even before the opponent made her move.
Yet the enemy's strike came so swiftly, so devastatingly.
The key was that highly infectious virus—utterly impossible to guard against fully.
Spreading to such a scale in an instant, unless Celenova was willing to sacrifice her entire army and go down in mutual destruction, there was simply no stopping the virus's rapid expansion.
Thus, she had allowed 'Hertatomb' to seize control of another large batch of Voidrangers and fleet vessels.
And so, drawing on the power of her remaining legion, Celenova gathered their collective strength into herself.
Taking on a form equal in size to 'Hertatomb', she appeared before her.
This familiar scene stirred unease among many watching Galaxy Rangers.
Because this was the very form Celenova had used to subdue Zulo all those years ago.
But the real Celenova wasn't skilled in close combat; under normal circumstances, she naturally wouldn't employ such a method.
This time, however, she had no choice.
If Celenova didn't step forward now, her legion would be completely annihilated.
Once she lost the empowerment brought by the united will of her eighty-thousand-strong army, her own strength would plummet dramatically.
Celenova lifted her elegant arm, the iron claws on her fingertips pointing squarely at 'Hertatomb's' chest.
She seemed poised, ready to close in, a picture of wary aggression.
She didn't appear overly angered by the legion's destruction.
After all, for them, legions were essentially expendable resources—even recyclable ones.
"Who are you, truly? What is your purpose in repeatedly borrowing the power of Destruction to hinder us?"
To be honest, Celenova was convinced in her heart that this was the same Celenova from back then.
If the other could impersonate her, then impersonating another Lord Ravager was hardly impossible.
But she still wanted a definite answer.
And, Celenova herself didn't even know what she would do if she actually found the other.
Her earlier provocations were merely meant to expose the other's true identity to the world; she hadn't actually spoken of utterly destroying her.
From her perspective, her own birth was because of that other.
Had that other not, in the name of 'Celenova', crusaded against Zulo, Nanook would not have personally destroyed a world of Harmony and then created her.
She was born from the aspect of Xipe's Eternal Centurion.
Bringing ruin upon worlds again and again proved she endorsed Nanook's choice.
And initially, Celenova's feelings toward the existence of another self were even dominated by curiosity.
It was only later, because the Galaxy Rangers kept pestering her, and worse, playing Harmony tricks right in front of her that over time, Celenova developed the urge to fight and kill on sight.
Celenova's feelings toward the one responsible for her birth were actually quite complex.
Upon hearing this, 'Hertatomb' smiled without speaking.
The power of Harmony expanded outward, attempting to make contact with Celenova.
After the initial wave of revulsion, Celenova was flooded with doubt.
Because this flavor of Harmony… felt far too similar to her own.
And it wasn't the uniformity born of assimilation, but a genuine, inherent consistency from the very beginning.
Though, that was to be expected.
After all, 'Hertatomb's' Harmony talent came entirely from Celenova herself; it would be strange if they weren't alike.
"So it really is you!!"
Celenova glared at 'Hertatomb', her teeth gritted.
She immediately raised her hand.
The power of the remaining legion merged into one once more.
A furious torrent of light beams gathered in her palm, as if mirroring Celenova's own turbulent emotions.
The sharp claws on her fingertips slashed down violently.
Imaginary Energy condensed into a dazzling, frigid light, shredding all matter in its path, distorting vision, carrying exaggerated fury straight toward 'Hertatomb's' chest.
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